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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
National
Jessica North

New £16million Glasgow primary school 'mixed-sex toilets' raises concerns from worried parent group

Parents have raised concerns over mixed-sex toilets at a new Glasgow primary school.

They fear children will not have enough privacy and claim pictures show gaps around cubicle doors big enough to push a mobile phone through at £16.5million North Kelvinside Primary.

Parent advocate group Safeguarding Our Schools Scotland (SOSS) say they are unhappy with Glasgow City Council's response to their concerns, the Scottish Daily Express reports.

The latest row follows a wave of complaints across the country as gender neutral loos are fitted in new schools.

SOSS believe the pictures show "inappropriate" bathroom settings adding children have "a right to safety, dignity and privacy" in single-sex spaces.

A Glasgow council official had said that school plans included full height cubicles, but this was already a point of contention with the parents who were concerned about what would happen if a child got into trouble while locked in a cubicle.

The new school is situated at Queen Margaret Drive, Maryhill Road and Kelvinside Avenue and is due to accommodate more than 400 pupils when it opens later this month.

SOSS told the Scottish Daily Express : "We wanted to understand what risk and impact assessments had been done, if any consideration had been given to the specific needs of female children, and what consultations had been carried out. We knew answers or even an acknowledgement would offer a bit of assurance."

The picture shows a mixed use loo sign on the door (Scottish Daily Express)

Douglas Hutchison the Executive Director of Education at Glasgow City Council responded to the concerns but the group say his response was "disappointing".

Mr Hutchison told the campaigners: "Unfortunately you have been misinformed. The new school has been specified with full height toilet doors and toilets have no designation as to gender. The designation will be determined by the school once they take ownership."

The picture appears to show a mobile phone being squeezed through the gaps in a toilet door (Scottish Daily Express)

The photographs show sex allocations have been made with one sign clearly representing a facility for both boys and girls.

SOSS said: "It's important to mention that we haven't shared the pictures with him as at the time of contact we hadn't received permission. This leads us to wonder if he has actually seen the school."

They added: "We want education departments and schools to work with us, not put up barriers.

"We are parents, teachers and child protection professionals and we are supporting others in our positions to feel confident in asking questions where their children are concerned.

"However, we will challenge and we will ask uncomfortable questions because safeguarding requires it."

Glasgow City Council has since been made aware of the photographs but failed to provide an explanation.

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